The Pacing of the Story is Also Important in a Videogame
by Skarrow
Summary: In which Tharja's plan to ensnare Robin goes horribly... right? [A crack-ish attempt at writing a Chrom/Tharja support convo and more]
1. Chrom & Tharja, rank C

**A/N:** I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, but I do own a copy of the game! I am also the author of the crack-fic **"When Using New Products, Read the Instructions Carefully"**! And the titles of all my FE13 stories will be named in a similar fashion from now on so you know it's me!

The Chrom/Tharja and Chrom/Miriel pairings are impossible due to game mechanics, but after multiple play-throughs I can see that the FE13 writers had done their best to write unique convos for the really "out there" pairs in the game so I thought, maybe I could try and write these two pairs? Besides, everybody already writes Chrom/Cordelia so I'd like to try something else.

Chrom/Panne can't happen because then there would have to be a Taguel!Lucina, so that's understandable. Chrom/Cherche can't happen because Chrom is "destined" to have a child some time during the two-year time skip, and Cherche only appears after that.

And so, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you this fanfic, in which I explore the possibilities of the Chrom/Tharja ship (Tharja will be first, because I still can't speak Miriel that well and I don't think I can do her justice).

* * *

**Chrom/Tharja C Support**

* * *

"Beware of Men Who Break Things 24 Hours a Day and Seven Days a Week"

* * *

It had taken but a few short hours for Tharja to perfect the special potion that would help her win the affections of her precious Robin. It wasn't a exactly a _love potion_ - and while she was certainly capable of making one, she didn't like the fake love that other dark mages brewed in their cauldrons, and preferred those sweet and pink feelings to grow naturally. But she wasn't averse to using a potion or two to get the ball rolling...

In just ten days the Shepherds and the Feroxi soldiers would be marching right back into Plegian territory in order to catch Mad King Gangrel off guard and finish him off once and for all. Tharja's plan was to secretly feed Robin the potion she made over the next few days and then stick close to him during the battle they were preparing for. With the potion's help, the tactician's burdens of the heart would lighten for just enough to time to see all of her good traits as they fight side by side, traits that would only be amplified thanks to the high tensions of the battlefield.

Once they'd won against Plegia, the potion's effects would have worn off by then but the tactician would already be so in love with her that he'd profess his feelings to her on the spot!

Tharja rubbed her hands together, cackling softly to herself. This plan was_ foolproof_.

Soon, very very soon... Robin would be hers!

She just needed to wait for the right moment to slip out of her hiding spot and slip the potion into his canteen while he wasn't looking.

But she'd been waiting in this small closet for over half an hour now... Robin was ceaselessly slaving over battle formations, terrain disadvantages and each individual solder's dossier, trying to put together all the pieces of a very complicated puzzle that had terrible consequences waiting if not done properly enough. Tharja respected him for how hard he was working to unite everyone into one cohesive force, and seeing him suffer at his desk made her even more resolute about what she was about to do.

Once this war was over and they began their married life together, Tharja would do everything she could to make him happy, and make up for all the times he'd been physically and emotionally hurt during this campaign.

"Robin, can I come in?" A voice asked from outside the tactician's room. When Robin did not respond, the voice warned, "I am perfectly capable of breaking this door down, as you are very much aware. And I know you can hear me so don't make this situation any worse, for both of our sakes."

Tharja frowned. That new voice belonged to the general of the army and the scion of Ylissean royal family, Chrom. To be more specific, he was the man who'd spoken to her in the middle of an important battle and recruited her, even though she was an enemy. She'd meant it when she said that she would lend her dark talents to his cause (for now), but that didn't mean she ever understood him. To Tharja he was too straightforward, naive and chivalrous to really work with, and she seriously doubted his intelligence. Poor Robin, she could only imagine how much trouble the Ylissean prince was giving him.

No one could stand Chrom's badgering for long, and the amnesiac stood up from his desk at last. When he unlocked the door and pulled it open, he hissed, "Break down the door and risk provoking Khan Flavia's wrath again?! The first time you broke something in this castle she gave you a pass only because you were wracked with despair, and even then it had taken a lot of time on my part to convince her to spare your life!"

"Oh, but I think she would forgive me breaking down another door in this case. Need I remind you how you collapsed the day before yesterday from fatigue?" Chrom pointed out, brushing right past Robin into the room. "I don't want you working yourself to the bone, Robin. And I'll be the one convincing Flavia to spare your life and your money this time, if it comes to that."

"She's going to be furious with _you_, not me."

"She'll be more than furious with you if you don't show your face in the mess hall today. Come and eat with me and the others, please. They all miss you, and they definitely don't blame you for... for what has happened. And I don't blame you either."

Robin closed his eyes, and for a moment Tharja thought that the man would faint (he looked pale). But in the next moment he opened his eyes again and smiled at the noble.

"...Okay. You've convinced me."

"Great! Then let's go."

The two men left the room together, speaking more animatedly than before.

"I can't wait to see the look on Flavia's face when I tell her what you told me about breaking down my door..."

"U-um. Can we keep that conversation a secret, please?"

Tharja waited until she could no longer hear their voices and their footsteps before sneaking noiselessly out of the closet, bottle in hand. This was her chance to slip the potion into Robin's personal water flask! She tiptoed towards the table the amnesiac had been seated at a moment ago and picked up the flask. The potion itself was both odorless and tasteless, almost as undetectable as poison. In fact, she had to study the chemical composition of a few poisons in the process of creating the "love potion" in order to balance it out, and she was very pleased with herself and the results - she was confident that it could not be traced back to her.

The liquid was carefully poured into the leather flask, and no drop was left behind. Tharja couldn't control her excited giggling - now she just needed to just wait for Robin to take a drink, and-!

She heard the heavy footsteps outside, quickly approaching the bedroom. Tharja left Robin's flask on the desk where she'd found it and jumped back into the closet, shutting it closed just as the intruder entered.

"Where is it...?" Tharja heard Chrom say out loud. "He said it was- ah, here it is."

The dark mage peeked out through a crack in the door at the Ylissean prince as he picked up the leather flask she'd so generously spiked with the "love potion" a few seconds ago. Chrom turned his head this way and that and spotted a large map of the continents. With the map and the flask in hand, Chrom quit the room just as quickly as he'd come.

Tharja wasn't sure what to think about what she'd just witnessed.

The general had made off with the fruit of her hard labor - why?

...To give it to Robin, perhaps? Yes... yes, that seemed to be the case.

A wicked smile stretched across her lips. It looks like her plan was going into motion much earlier than she anticipated - and frankly, she was even more excited than before.

She didn't like Chrom all that much, but now she was eternally grateful for the naive man for speeding up the process of winning Robin's heart.

* * *

"Gods, but I sure am thirsty. I hope Robin doesn't mind."

Chrom hadn't had anything to drink since his training session earlier this morning, and he was feeling parched. He'd gone to Robin's room to pick up the tactician's forgotten items in his stead because he didn't want his best friend to leave the company of the other Shephers; not now, when the noble had finally coaxed him out of his bedroom and his little world of tactics.

Looking at the leather canteen in his gloved hand, the prince felt sorely tempted to drink it all up.

So he did.

And hoo boy, did that water taste good! Before Chrom had realized it, he'd already guzzled every last drop.

He scratched his head sheepishly. He had decided to drink only half and leave the other half for Robin but he'd ended up drinking down everything in the end anyways. This was what Emmeryn meant when she said that he had a hard time restraining himself. She never scolded him for it, only reminded him, and she did it with a peaceful and happy smile on her face. At times, she would even pat his arm comfortingly, laughing at-

Chrom stopped in his tracks, his head and his vision suddenly swarming with thoughts and memories of his dead sister. Only a few days before, he had witnessed her fall to her death so he wouldn't have to make a choice between her life and the Fire Emblem. And for some time after that, it felt as if he'd been trapped in swirling vortex of pain and despair. The mere mention of her name was enough to set him off on a warpath, and many unfortunate trees, bushes and Risen received the brunt of his rage-filled sword swings.

But for some reason, at this very moment, there were no such gut-wrenching feelings even as he said his dear departed sister's name in his head. And he could clearly recall his memories of her without any grief or regret. Earlier when he had conversed with Robin, he had valiantly swallowed his own sadness and forced himself to act strong for his best friend's sake. Now, the prince felt almost... lighthearted, optimistic even. Like all of his worries had vanished like morning mist. Like he had just taken a powerful happiness-inducing drug. He did not know why he felt this way, but he was relieved.

Without the burden of his painful emotions wracking his insides every few minutes, he felt that he could really focus on his new objective: to defeat Gangrel, once and for all.

The sound of soft footfalls coming slowly down the hall towards him roused him from his thoughts. He turned around to see who was behind him-

* * *

Tharja had deemed it safe to leave Robin's private quarters at last, and made sure to take the longer route just to be extra careful. This way, if anyone saw her wandering around the hallways then they would immediately assume that she had come from her room. No matter how excited she was to see the results of her efforts, she needed to make sure that nobody would suspect her of anything shady.

Finally making her way to the mess hall, she came across Prince Chrom standing absolutely still in the middle of the hallway. She didn't really think much about him until he turned around and started staring at her.

The first thing that came to her mind was: _what is he doing here, I thought he'd be sitting with Robin right about now?_

She noticed the map and Robin's canteen in the noble's clutches so her hypothesis was confirmed - he definitely hadn't been to the hall yet.

"..."

She had nothing to say to the prince (he was still staring at her, what did he want? she didn't care about that right now) and did not slow her pace, but she grudgingly offered him a small nod, acknowledging his presence before walking around him and continuing her way down the hall. The last thing she needed was some stupid royal tailing her because she ignored him and hurt his fragile ego in the process. But she didn't feel like smiling and bowing like the other female Shepherds, so a nod was fine, right?

Apparently it wasn't.

Tharja had only taken six or seven steps when she felt her skin prickling under an intense gaze. The heavy footsteps echoing right behind her was not very reassuring, either. Still, she carried on, unwilling to deal with the person who was following her.

...

Wait, _following_ her? How did her mind come up with that fanciful idea?

There was just _no way_ he was following her.

To prove it to herself, at the next junction she purposely took a wrong turn and started walking away from the mess hall the other Shepherds were currently at. The mage was positive that the man would simply continue on towards the hall-

_The footsteps behind her were **still** trailing after her, damnation!_

Tharja hugged her spellbook even closer to her chest in agitation and annoyance.

Four detours later, the man was STILL FOLLOWING HER.

She whirled around to face the Ylissean royal. "What do you want?" She hissed indignantly. "I'm tired of you following me around like a puppy dog. And if you don't give me a good reason for this foolishness, well... I don't care if you're a prince. I'll curse you up to your eyeballs, and you'll be sorry you ever tried to mess with me..."

"Tharja, you may think me mad for what I'm about to say, but please hear me out," Chrom began, determination in his eyes.

"...What?"

"I'm in love with you."

"...WHAT?!" Tharja sputtered in disbelief. Unbidden, her gaze flickered to the water flask Chrom was still holding. She noticed that the cap was off, and it was turned nearly upside-down, yet nothing was dripping out.

_No... Don't tell me this buffoon drank the potion?!_

"I've loved you ever since I first laid eyes on you across that castle courtyard," Chrom continued, seemingly oblivious to Tharja's nervous breakdown. "Please fair lady, I must know if I have even the slightest chance of winning your heart?" Without warning he reached out and grasped one of her hands.

"AAAAAAUUGH!" Tharja screamed, unable to cope with her failure and Chrom's sudden strong attentions at the same time. She smacked his hand away, spun around on her heels and fled down the hall as fast as she could - the more distance she could put between herself and the dangerously enamored prince, the better.

To her increasing horror, she could hear him running after her. Oh gods, was he chasing her down?!

"Tharja, wait!" He pleaded. "I know I'm coming on like a wyvern in heat, but at least hear me out!"

She ran even faster.

* * *

**Chrom and Tharja attained support level C**

* * *

**A/N:** I will never get tired of Chrom's "wyvern in heat" line, seriously.


	2. Chrom & Tharja, rank B

**A/N:** I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening or any of its characters, but I do own a copy of the game!

I've also remembered that Sumia has an abyssal number of possible love interests just like Chrom. I suppose I'll have to get around to writing Lon'qu/Sumia, Virion/Sumia or Vaike/Sumia, or even (God please forgive me) Ricken/Sumia one of these days.

Special thanks to DIAForce for coming up with one of Chrom's lines in this chapter. The support convo itself is getting progressively serious.

* * *

**Chrom/Tharja B Support**

* * *

"A Curse is a Microcosm of One's Soul"

* * *

"Of all the blasted timing...!"

Tharja dashed around the corner as fast as she was able, doing her very best to melt into the shadows. She held her breath and didn't dare move an inch.

Several seconds later, Chrom hurried past her hiding spot, frantically looking this way and that for any sign of his beloved dark mage.

"Tharja, please forgive me! I didn't know you hated flowers! I'll get you something else! Ask anything of me, and I'll gladly give it to you!" He said beseechingly, standing in the middle of the grand hall, his head slightly bowed and his shoulders slumped in sadness. He looked very much like an abandoned puppy. And Tharja hated puppies. She hated spoiled royals even more, thanks to her time serving in Mad King Gangrel's army. Nobles were all the same, thinking they could have anything they want just because they want it! All this time, Tharja had believed the Ylissean prince to be different, but she was clearly wrong!

And he would _pay_ for embarrassing her in front of the other Shepherds!

Last night, Chrom had had the _gall_ to announce his amorous feelings for the Plegian mage at dinner. Lissa, Chrom's younger sister, had actually burst into tears - either because she was moved or disgusted, Tharja didn't know - and that redheaded pegasus knight had fainted where she stood. Everyone else had started blathering incessantly about Chrom's interest in women "like her". Just what did the other females like about this shameless lunkhead, anyways?!

Of course, the worst reaction came from Robin. Oh sure, that knight that always hung around Chrom like a second shadow had glared at her so hard she was almost positive he were casting a curse, but that was nothing compared to what the tactician did. Robin had looked from Tharja to Chrom, thinking hard before his face broke out into a smile, and he wished his best friend good luck in his endeavors to court her!

_Robin, you're the one I want, not Chrom! It's all Chrom's fault!_ Tharja screamed spitefully in her head. Her fingertips began to glow with an eerie, purplish energy. _If he had just been a good boy and left Robin's personal canteen alone...!_

Tharja whispered the incantation under her breath with all the rage she felt, concentrating all of her dark thoughts in the hex she was weaving. Curses were manifestations of one's regards towards other people, microcosms of the caster's very soul - and she planned on punishing the blue-haired general with all the fires of her wrath!

Making sure she was still hidden, she sent the debilitating curse towards Chrom with a gleeful, dark grin. With this, she would have no problems waiting out for the potion he drank to wear off over the next couple of days as he suffered-

"...Mm? This sudden chill running up and down my spine... Tharja, is that you?" Chrom spoke to the big chamber at large. "I can feel your thrilling, sensual presence but I can't see or hear you. Oh, Tharja, why must you torture me so?"

Her jaw dropped.

_It didn't work?! IT DIDN'T WORK?!_

_WHY?!_

The potion worked on him just fine! Why didn't the curse she cast on him just now work?! It's inconceivable for a man to be susceptible to only one of her many dark crafts!

...In fact, the potion was only meant to lift one's spirits and open their heart to new possibilities, NOT to make them fall in love. It baffled Tharja how Chrom could've fallen for her so quickly and so easily. Was it just her, or was the noble even more straightforward than she'd ever witnessed before? Not that she could really tell the difference - she did not know the man for very long. And that just made his "love" even more disturbing - thanks to the potion, he had literally fallen in love with her at first sight!

Tharja banged her forehead on her spellbook in utter frustration.

The noise from the impact was loud enough to catch Chrom's attention. Upon noticing his beloved, his face brightened instantaneously and he dashed to her side.

"My lady, the flowers I presented you with earlier was meant to be my apology for the grief I caused you yesterday," he explained. "But I understand that that was also a mistake. Please tell me how I can make everything right between us again..."

"There was _never_ an 'us'!"

Although she had to give him props for managing to find those flowers in the first place - Regna Ferox wasn't exactly known for its abundant flora. The bouquet had so many rare wildflowers in it, and while the mage could appreciate it because free ingredients always made her day, she'd felt that she'd died on the inside when he'd presented it to her the way he did. He-

_No, Tharja. Don't think about it. Cast it from your memory._

Tharja winced. Chrom was giving her - _had been_ giving her - that puppy-dog look again, and it made her want to hurl.

"Tharja?"

"No! NO! There's _nothing_ you can possibly do to-!"

She cut herself short as a thought occurred to her. Perhaps she should stop moaning about how she failed to get Robin to drink the potion, instead use this situation to her advantage. She could get Chrom to tell her everything he knew about Robin, and more...

"Tharja, will you have dinner alone with me two days from now?" Chrom asked. Apparently he had selective hearing as well, to Tharja's disgust. "I'm coming onto you too strongly as of late... that's why I want to ask you on a proper date. That way, we can have a relaxed conversation and get to know each other better without anyone disturbing us."

Dinner alone with the Ylissean prince? If she accepted, she knew there was no way she would ever get a chance with Robin if he ever caught wind of this. But the prospect of getting information about her tactician from Chrom was sorely tempting. What could she do?

"...I'll go to dinner with you," the dark mage began slowly, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "_If_ you promise to keep this 'date' a secret from everyone else. And no more outrageous public displays of affection, either. Got it?" If he was going to be this devoted to her happiness, she might as well use it for what it was worth, right?

Chrom's eyes darkened slightly with an emotion she couldn't identify. "Whatever you desire." Before she could blink, he took hold of one of her hands, lowered his head and reverently kissed her delicate knuckles before retreating to some other place.

_Whatever you desire._

Tharja turned the phrase he'd left her with over and over in her mind.

She decided that she liked the way it sounded.

* * *

**Chrom and Tharja attained support level B  
**

* * *

**A/N:** It's explained in the Henry/Sully support convo that a warrior with formidable will is hard to affect with curses. And... Chrom is FE13's poster boy for formidable will once he sobers up from Emmeryn's death.


	3. Chrom & Tharja, rank A

**A/N:** I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, but I do own a copy of the game!

So, I've been practicing Miriel-speak for a while now, and I think I'm getting the hand of it! I might be able to write Chrom/Miriel after all!

* * *

**Chrom/Tharja A Support**

* * *

"Fellows with a Guilty Conscience Tend to Chatter a Lot"

* * *

Tharja wasn't sure what exactly she had been expecting before meeting up with Chrom for their promised dinner date. But she definitely hadn't been expecting to... enjoy herself _this_ much, and with the Ylissean prince of all people.

The man himself had clearly put a lot of thought into the location, the ambience and the food: the table had been set up inside one of Castle Feroxi's many private dining chambers, tastefully decorated in gold and black. The subtle elegance was a stark contrast to the rest of the castle, which looked like an old abandoned military fort, and while Tharja wasn't one for patriotism or religion, she always had a soft spot for the Plegian colors.

Framed by the tall windows that overlooked the courtyard was no harsh blizzard, but the gentle shower of snowflakes and a breathtaking white wonderland - it was like looking over the endless desert at night back home. The fireplace at the end of the room was ablaze, logs crackling and snapping cheerfully in the hearth. Thanks to that and a couple of strategically placed candles, there was enough light to see what she was eating (Plegian cuisine, which the prince most likely researched as well) and at the same time it was shadowy enough for her to semi-hide her own features, giving her a sense of safety from Chrom's intense gaze.

She liked how quiet it was - for once, the incessant talking of the other Shepherds which always bothered her was nowhere to be found. And she could admit to herself that if she ever had the money to burn, she would decorate her own dining room in a similar way. But the lord's gaze was seriously starting to unnerve her now. She needed to break the pleasant silence if she wanted him to cut it out.

"...What?"

"Huh?" Chrom blinked out of his stare at the sound of her voice, startled.

"You've been staring at me for five minutes now, and it creeps me out. Stop it."

To Tharja's horror, the noble's face flushed such a brilliant shade of scarlet that it was very visible even in this poor lighting. "I-I'm sorry, I hadn't realized that I'd been staring."

"...Is there something on my face? Or am I just that shockingly ugly?"

"No, there's nothing wrong with your face at all! It's quite lovely, in fact."

Oh gods, he did _not_ just say that her face was lovely, did he? The potion was making Chrom sound like Virion 2.0, without all the hyper-dramatic prose. And the worst part was, unlike the self-proclaimed archest of archers, Chrom's compliments were completely _sincere_.

"I was watching your face for your reactions, if you were pleased or not with our dinner," Chrom explained sheepishly. "I wanted to make sure you were enjoying herself. Forgive me."

_Gag_.

Time to change the topic before the man killed her spirit and his character with his enchanted enthusiasm.

"You and Robin are quite close, aren't you?" Tharja asked, a cunning glint in her eyes. If she was going to fish for information she would have to do it subtlely, and allow the noble to speak on his own accord while asking the right questions to keep him on track. "Have you known each other for very long?"

"No, actually," Chrom answered easily. He seemed more relaxed now that something else was the focus of the conversation. "We first met a little over four months ago, near one of the towns south of Ylisstol. He was laying unconscious in the fields."

"Was he the lone survivor of some kind of ambush?"

"To this day, we never figured out the truth about that, actually..."

Tharja glanced down at her plate, and then back up at his face, which was half-hidden in darkness. "Robin wouldn't tell you?" Perhaps they weren't as close as she had originally thought.

"Not that he wouldn't, but that he couldn't. Robin had -_ has_ - amnesia."

"Ah..."

Chrom had a faraway look in his eyes now. "Frederick suspected Robin of being a Plegian spy, the amnesia a clever ruse to win my sympathy. And I knew he meant well, but I just couldn't allow a man with no memory and no means of living wander the continent all alone. He could be attacked by bandits - bandits were very common around the halidom at that time. And Robin had an amazing mind for tactics. I just had to make him a Shepherd."

_Of course_ Robin would be recruited - he was just _that_ amazing! Not even amnesia could ever hamper his incredible intellect! But that wasn't what bothered the dark mage, it was the prince's story as a whole that bothered her.

"...You mean to say that you welcomed into your little vigilante group an unknown man of dubious origins? Without properly conducting a background check on him? You placed the lives of all your comrades in his hands just like that? You're frighteningly naive. I'm surprised you're still alive."

"Robin earned my trust after our first battle together. After fighting alongside him, I knew that he was a good man."

"That's... not what I mean."

"Huh?"

"..."

Tharja put down her fork and folded her hands on her lap. For a few moments, she did not say anything, grasping for the right words.

"...Why did you recruit me into your army?" She asked at last. "I was your enemy. Did it not occur to you that I could've cursed you to death? I wouldn't even need to betray you; I could've overpowered you on the spot with a single word..." Even though she'd recently learned that her curses did not affect the prince at all, she firmly asserted herself just the same. He didn't need to know that he was immune to her dark powers.

"Hm? I think I told you the reason already, but I'll say it again - I believed that my sister would trust you, and I wished to do the same."

"But why?"

"The reason is that... you did not agree with Gangrel's cause."

"_That's_ it?" Tharja harrumphed. "You recruited me because I happened to have a different opinion than that of my king? I don't even have the same goals as you and your Shepherds. Does that mean I am automatically released from duty?"

"On the contrary - you do have similar beliefs as us," Chrom remarked with a mysterious smile.

"How so?"

"The war that Plegia plans to wage against Ylisse no matter how many sacrifices are made is pointless, and only invites more pain and hate between them. Gangrel is holding entire families hostage just to mobilize his men at this point. You've realized yourself that he'd gone too far with his designs, right? Our ways of thinking may be a bit different, but the end result is the same - Gangrel, the instigator, must fall. If he doesn't, peace will never come to Ylisse OR Plegia."

Tharja did not care for politics or her countrymen (if you could call them that), but she had always disliked the way Gangrel had run things. He sent his forces into battle expecting them to either secure a victory or die a horrible death. Death would come for all of them eventually; why invite it early, fighting for a cause she didn't believe in? So yes, it was Gangrel's fault she had ever been conscripted in the first place.

And she had believed that the prince she was eating dinner with was just the same.

"I can see that you still doubt me," Chrom said with a short laugh. "So I'll be frank: I asked you to join my cause not only because I wanted to be like my sister, but also because I didn't want to end up like my father, the previous exalt."

The dark mage remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

Unable to keep up the pretense of eating any longer, he put down his own knife with an awkward clatter and smiled ruefully at her. "My father wished to see every living person in Plegia dead. He asked no questions, and never hesitated. He struck down Plegian after Plegian, regardless of their station. To him, all of the Plegians were the enemy, and they all equally received his wrath. And he never spared anyone, not even the children."

His facial expression hardened. "He had his reasons, but I just can't accept them. Genocide can't be the only answer. I don't want to become like him..."

Tharja raised an eyebrow at the eerie, blank look on the prince's face. It was an expression that she'd never seen before, and she was pretty sure not many people had witnessed it before, either. She'd believed the lord to be too stupid, nice and innocent to give that kind of face, but there it was. Maybe his sister's death was starting to take his toll on him. She wondered if she should leave and ask another Shepherd for assistance.

And that's when she sensed it: a dark, foreboding feeling that sent chills up and down her spine. To her surprise, it was _Chrom_ who was causing her to feel this way.

Who would've thought that the Ylissean prince everyone loved and respected had a dark side? The man was probably taking after his father more than he realized...

Now this, _this_ she could get behind. She wouldn't mind serving a two-faced royal such as him. In Tharja's eyes, Chrom's worth as a leader and as a man had vastly improved.

"...Heheheheheh."

"Er..." At the sound of her giggles, Chrom blinked rapidly as if he had just been shaken awake. "All I seem to do as of late is apologize... but please forgive me for losing my focus like that, Tharja."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Tharja crooned, sweetly enough to unnerve a lesser man. "Except maybe for how much you're overworking poor Robin. Not only is he your tactician, but you make things even worse for him by jumping headlong into danger and recruiting people on a moment's notice..."

"Well, that's who I am, and I don't plan on changing that," Chrom said stubbornly.

"I know."

"...?"

"From now on, I'll be lending more of my powers to Robin to help him keep you in check. So, don't ever change, alright?"

_Yes... don't ever change. Especially on the inside - I still want to learn more about that side of you! I wonder if hexing one of the other Shepherds would bring it out again? Hmm, maybe not..._

"I didn't mean to bore you with so much talk about my family, either," Chrom said, picking up his knife again to resume eating. "Tharja, won't you tell me about your family, and what your home was like?"

"...Perhaps another time. I'm tired of talking now."

"Oh! Of course."

The potion's effects would be wearing off soon... but Tharja discovered that she didn't mind as much as before because she rather liked conversing with him. As long as it didn't take too long, and it didn't happen too often, then...

Perhaps she could try talking to Chrom again some time in the future, and without the influence of a concoction.

* * *

**Chrom and Tharja attained support level A  
**

* * *

**A/N:** I'm almost tempted to end it here. Seriously.

It's a nice open ending that gives enough hints for a possible friendship between the two, maybe-ever-after. Actually, a lot of the support convos in-game feel like nice friendships (or at least mutual respect) between the male/female pairs.

Skills-wise, a Tharja!Lucina could inherit Anathema and Vengeance, and even Pavise I believe (correct me if I'm wrong). They are nice skills, but Tharja won't give Lucina any reclassing options that I prefer, and she won't be able to get Galeforce (again, correct me on this if I'm wrong), which is a skill I really like using.


	4. Chrom & Tharja, rank S

**A/N:** I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, but I do own a copy of the game!

Of course I'll be writing support convos for Tharja/Lucina, Chrom/Noire and Lucina/Noire as well!

* * *

**Chrom/Tharja S Support**

* * *

"Ninety-Nine Percent of Men Cannot Confess Their Feelings"

* * *

Tomorrow morning, Chrom's Shepherds and the Feroxi soldiers would march into Plegia once more against the Mad King Gangrel for both Plegia's and Ylisse's futures. Tharja's preparations were finally complete - any enemy that would dare attack her on the battlefield would regret not dying at some other soldier's hands...

A knock on her bedroom door interrupted the wonderful thoughts she was having of how much fun she would have tomorrow cursing her enemies to death. "Tharja, are you still awake? I hope I'm not bothering you." It was the Ylissean prince, and he sounded rather nervous.

Tharja left her newly made voodoo dolls atop her desk and opened the door. "...Is there something you need?"

"I only wanted to ask you something."

"Then talk."

"R-right. Well, erm. I just wanted to know if you were willing to come and eat dinner with me again after the war ends," Chrom asked hopefully.

The dark mage took one look at those lovelorn eyes of his and felt a pang of regret. The potion's effects would have long worn off by that time... and she was sure that the prince wouldn't... keep his promise, even if she'd have accepted his invitation.

These last ten days had almost been like a dream to her - like there had been a filter in front of her eyes until little by little, everything about him had become more and more clear. Tharja had gone and assumed so many things about him on her own, but thanks to her interactions with Chrom she'd discovered so many new things about him - and about herself - in the process. She'd learned that he truly was as sincere about his intentions towards his comrades as the others had claimed. He was suffering from the scars left behind by his father, and yet he would not turn away anyone in need, Ylissean or not. Chrom was a good guy. A stupidly naive guy, but a good guy nonetheless. With an incredibly intriguing potential "dark side" that she found so alluring.

Learning about the limitations of her own dark magic in regards to the prince had frustrated her, but it was the wake-up call that she had needed. Tharja had set a new goal for herself, to research new ways to improve the power and potency of her hexes. Never again would something as foolish as a _warrior's willpower_ ever render her enchantments useless, ever.

But the potion's power lasted for only ten days, and tomorrow's battle was the time limit - Chrom's "feelings" for her would vanish once everything had ended. It was very possible that, despite how much time they'd spent together at Castle Ferox, nothing would ever change between them. The man would go back to his life of politics and beautiful maidens of noble blood who waited on him hand and foot just to win his affection. Tharja would return to... what was she going to return to? She would visit her parents in Plegia, but her home wasn't with them. Her home wasn't anywhere. The Shepherds' was the closest thing thing she'd ever had to a 'home', but once the war was over and peace returned to every realm, there would be no need for the Shepherds any longer.

"By the way, I was surprised to see you at the training grounds today," Chrom suddenly said, changing the topic. "You even let Frederick put you through his Fanatical Fitness drills!"

Tharja glared at Chrom suspiciously, but she relented and went with the flow of the conversation, draping her arm across her midsection. "Dark mages have no business developing their muscles, but your knight insisted that I build up my stamina. He wouldn't even leave me alone, and watched me like a hawk..." She shuddered in terror at the memory of all those crunches she had been forced to do by the trainer from hell.

"But what made you do them? I know you have the power to stand up to Frederick."

"...I just thought that training wasn't so bad, once in a while. As long as I don't do it often." And Frederick had been especially concerned for her physical health for some reason - whether it was because she had caught his lord's eye or because she truly looked that weak to him, she never knew, never cared enough to find out.

"Why did you think it wouldn't be so bad?" Chrom persisted, curiosity shining in his eyes. When Tharja didn't reply, he pouted. "I wanted us to train together this morning... Frederick's training must have made you weary to the point that you couldn't notice me getting your attention! I'd better talk to him about that when I get the chance."

Actually, she _did_ notice him this morning, but she'd never tell him that. Besides, who wouldn't notice him? He had been excitedly waving both of his arms while calling her name, desperately trying to catch her eye. Tharja had been so mortified, she'd run away from her exercises, locked herself in her bedroom and refused to come back out until her face had stopped burning from shame. Frederick soon had to physically drag her back to the training grounds, and then when Chrom saw that she'd returned he'd started acting up all over again! Of course, she would rather disappear than acknowledge the man when he was acting so recklessly!

"To make it up to you for the training hell Frederick put you through, I'll listen to whatever requests you have for our next dinner," Chrom promised with an infectious grin. Seeing that smile made her suspect that the noble knew exactly what he had put her through that morning, but she didn't have any proof.

But then his words finally registered, and Tharja consciously stopped herself from sighing aloud.

His feelings would soon change, and she would be free from his amorous pursuits.

Why... did that make her feel lonely?

And that wasn't all.

Their conversations, his smiles, and all the things he'd done for her... were because of the potion.

"...Tharja?" Chrom said slowly, unsure. "D-did I say something wrong?"

"...Wouldn't you be busy after the war?" Tharja asked. "You're going to step into the role of exalt, and help your people rebuild, aren't you? How would we meet? When would we meet?"

"That's true. I will have to work closely beside the citizens of Ylisse, and bring everything back under control. It's my duty, and I don't plan on running away from it."

"Yes..."

Chrom's grin softened to something gentler. "But that doesn't mean I can't ever find the time to be with you. I will always have time for you. And if I don't, I'll make the time. Tharja, I had enjoyed spending time with you several nights ago, and I want to have dinner with you again."

The potion's effects end tomorrow.

And so will his affection.

There won't ever be a 'dinner date' to go to, because by that time, Chrom won't... he won't...

"Tharja, you're starting to scare me. What's the matter?" Chrom asked again, his brow furrowed with concern.

"..."

"Could it be... is this about the potion wearing off by tomorrow?"

It was as if her heart had been encased in a block of ice. Tharja whipped her head up to stare at the lord's unwavering ones directly. "What did you say?!"

"Judging from your reaction, I assumed correctly." Chrom had a sheepish, apologetic look on his face as he spoke. "I'm sorry, Tharja. I thought you'd have figured it out by now, especially when you tried to cast a curse on me that one time. But I should have told you sooner."

"_How did you find out about that?!_" Tharja screamed, incensed. "So you were just toying with me from the very beginning?! How... _how dare you_!" Both curses and concoctions did not work on the noble, so she had no choice - she began swinging with all her might at him with her spellbook, her entire being fraught with rage and hurt. "And this whole time... I've been anxious and upset over nothing! You'll pay for making a mockery out of me, Prince Chrom!"

So everything had been a lie. His declarations of love, his attentions, his smiles, his interest and investment in her as a person - all of them lies!

And to think that... even for a moment, she had actually considered putting effort in getting to know the real him!

"You craven! I'll never forgive you for as long as I live!" She growled.

Chrom nimbly dodged her wild attacks, backing out of the doorway and into the hall. "Please hear me out! It is true, the potion had no affect on me at all! Robin had warned me beforehand that you were going to great lengths just to win his affection... he'd spied on you, you see, and he found out about the potion you had been brewing. But I told him to leave you alone."

"So you 'took care of it', right?!" Tharja seethed, halting her attacks for the moment so she could catch her breath. "And by embarrassing me in front of your soldiers, no less! I hate you!"

"No! I never meant to embarrass you. What I told you at the very beginning was the truth - I'm in love with you, and I have loved you ever since I saw you at the Plegia Castle courtyard! I never told you the truth about the potion, but everything else was my true feelings!"

Tharja stood still, heart thumping fast from the adrenaline. "Why? Why did you pretend to be put under the spell of the potion?"

The prince looked down at his feet, feeling awkward. "I knew from the very start... that you had eyes for my comrade. You always followed him around, and you always watched him. It wasn't Robin's fault, or anybody's fault - we can't choose who we fall in love with. When he informed me of the potion you were making, I just..."

"..."

"True to his predictions, you had snuck out of his closet once we left his room and slipped the potion into his water flask. Robin wanted to pour it out somewhere so it wouldn't harm anyone, and I'd told him that I would do it for him. But a thought crossed my mind: I knew you had fallen for Robin, so what did I have to lose from telling you my feelings?"

"So you drank the potion, hoping it would be the perfect way to gather the courage to tell me outright how you felt while hiding the truth at the same time?"

"That, and I was honestly feeling thirsty at the time," Chrom admitted sheepishly. "I figured that a love potion wouldn't really make much of a difference if I drank it or not..."

"It wasn't a_ love potion_," Tharja corrected. "It was a potion that was supposed to clear one's burders and open his heart to new possibilities... it was meant to help Robin see my good qualities so that he'd fall in love with me naturally."

"Er..."

"I was wondering how you'd fallen for me so quickly after consumption," the dark mage continued. "I couldn't make heads or tails out of the situation. I'd thought that I'd done something wrong when I brewed it. Now it all makes sense."

Chrom scratched the back of his head, unable to speak from embarrassment.

Tharja tapped her chin thoughtfully. "But you know what? It looks like the potion worked after all: it gave you hope."

"Are you kidding?" The prince stepped towards Tharja with renewed confidence. Tharja stared back at him just as boldly. "It gave me more than that - it gave me the chance to talk with you, and I even got to have a date with you during what little time we have left here. Still, I find myself wanting more."

Chrom took hold of one of her hands. This time, she did not slap him away.

"Tharja, I'm in love with you. Would you allow me the chance to court you properly? No potions or hexes, or any third parties disturbing us."

She gave him a smile that was a stunning combination of both tender and wicked, a smile that Chrom was certain only she would be able to produce. "Hmph. How very devious of you. What would the others say if they found out that their precious prince was so terrible?"

Chrom's eyes lit up instantly. "Was that... a yes?"

"Ha! Did you think I'd let you off the hook that easily? You've made a fool out of me these past ten days, and caused me unnecessary grief as well."

Tharja gravitated closer to the lord of her own volition, daintily tracing her fingers along his bare forearm. "So I hope you are prepared to take responsibility for your sins for the rest of your life, because if you run away-" her questing fingers stopped in place, and Chrom shuddered when she dug her nails into his skin. "I'll murder you in your sleep..."

"Y-yes ma'am."

* * *

**Chrom and Tharja attained support level S  
**

* * *

**A/N:** I hope I've written an acceptable support convo for these two - they have literally hooked up with each other in the short span of time between Chapter 10 and Chapter 11, but I had to make do with what the game has given me. In the next chapter, I'll write the special Chapter 11 automatic proposal scene for them, as well as some game-plot related scenes, like when Lucina reveals herself for the first time and all that jazz.

Hmm, and I suppose a Tharja!Lucina wouldn't be so bad after all, and while she won't be able to get Galeforce I can live with that. It's just too bad that I can't try Chrom/Tharja out and see...


	5. Chrom & Tharja Chapter 11 Proposal

**A/N:** I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, but I do own a copy of the game! I think Priam should've been available earlier. No, he deserves way more plot than the game has given him! It's just too bad he can't learn Aether...

Anyways, if Tharja and Miriel could marry Chrom, then the pairing priority would probably look something like:

Sumia - Maribelle - Sully - Miriel - Tharja - Olivia - Avatar (if female)

Miriel gets priority over Tharja mainly because she knows Chrom for much longer, and less priority than Maribelle and Sully because childhood friends are more important than a co-worker. Tharja gets priority over Olivia because she still has 2 chapters to build up rapport with Chrom (which means I totally messed up in writing it because it wouldn't make any sense if you were still on Chapter 10 when you reached S rank). Also nobody except generic maiden can take away Olivia's title for whirlwind romance, LOL.

* * *

**_Chrom/Tharja Chapter 11 Proposal Scene_  
**

* * *

"Ninety-Nine Percent of Men Cannot Confess Their Feelings ver.2"

* * *

When the enemy started throwing down their weapons, Tharja had nearly stamped her foot in the sand with frustration. She hadn't gotten her fill of knocking down Plegian soldiers yet! Why were they retreating?! They couldn't stop fighting now, not when she still hungered for blood! She still had so many new curses to try out on them yet!

"Tharja!"

The dark mage turned around at the sound of her name being called and soon found herself getting tightly embraced by a pair of muscular arms.

"I'm so glad to see you alive and safe!" Chrom exclaimed. "Have you been hurt anywhere? Your arms? Your face?"

"Gah! Let go of me! W-who gave you permission to touch me?! You're embarrassing me!"

Standing on the sidelines of this mind-blowing spectacle, Flavia winked and nudged Robin and Lissa in their ribs. Basilio just laughed right outloud. Exchanging meaningful nods, the four left the Ylissean prince alone in the middle of the sandy battlefield with his lady love.

"L-look, I am quite alright," Tharja muttered when the man finally calmed down somewhat. "And what kind of madman hugs his soldiers in the middle of a battlefield? In front of the others, no less! Gods, if only I had the power to curse you..."

"You have already cursed me." Chrom finally stopped checking her for wounds and looked her straight in the eyes. "Ever since I first laid eyes on you from across the Plegia Castle courtyard, I have been under your spell. It is a powerful curse that forces me to see no one but you. I don't ever want the enchantment to end... even if that makes me a madman. And this madman doesn't embrace just any old soldier - only the one that I love. As a prince, I must serve my people and my country, and love them all equally. But I want to follow my sister's example, and follow my heart... I want to love you above all else."

"...I think the heat of this desert is finally getting to you, prince," Tharja remarked after a moment, ducking away from his stare. "I'd better get you a healer."

"Please believe me, Tharja."

"It isn't that I don't believe you."

He frowned. "I... I don't understand."

"Must I spell out everything for you? Poor Robin, having to deal with you everyday can't be an easy task." Despite her insulting words, she had a faint smile upon her face, and her tone of voice was anything but cruel. She reached up and tenderly cupped his face with both of her hands. "You have your duty to your country and to your people. I have obligations with my family, who lives here in Plegia. Being together now is simply impossible for us."

"But-!"

"Let. Me. Finish." Tharja glared at him until he relented before pressing on, "You must forget about me so you can devote yourself to your people properly, and help them rebuild their lives. I myself cannot stay with the Shepherds - I must return to my family for unfinished business. Do you follow?"

Chrom's frown deepened, but he nodded anyways.

"However, once peace returns to both of our countries and we have both gotten our lives back in order, we will be free to do whatever we wish." Her gaze became gentle. "When that day comes, and you still feel that you want to love me above all else... I'll be waiting for you. And we'll have all the time in the world to... to get to know each other, or something."

At this, the royal's grim expression finally melted away into one of hope. "Then, will you take this ring?" He pulled off the glove from his left hand and slipped a precious gold band from his ring finger. He carefully pried one of Tharja's hands from his face and placed the ring in the middle of her palm. "It will serve as material proof of my promise to you - that I will come for you and make you my wife as soon as I am able to. Until then, I will be helping my citizens reclaim their lives, and you will never be far from my thoughts."

Tharja studied the ring under the desert sun's harsh glare. "This ring bears the crest of the Royal House of Ylisse... are you sure I can have this?"

"Of course you can. My parents had that ring made in honor of my birth, and I am to give it to the woman I wish to spend the rest of my life with. Take it, please. Know that I will love you until I die." Chrom reverently slipped the band on her ring finger. "And that as long as you wear this, any man who dares approach you will feel my wrath."

"A-ha. So, the truth has finally come out," the dark mage cackled. "None of your subjects has the faintest idea of how selfish you truly are, Prince Chrom... but I don't mind it at all. I swear to love you and devote myself to you. As long as you accept the same terms from me!"

Chrom stepped forward and wrapped the dark mage in another tight hug.

Tharja did not resist this time, because this would be their last embrace for a long while. She rested her head against his chest and sighed. "When Gangrel conscripted me into his army, I never expected to catch the eye of a prince. I wonder what your subjects would say? And the poets would have a field day with when we get married. But strangely, I don't feel too bothered by the prospect... I'm so happy, it sickens me."

The prince laughed aloud. "I feel the same way. And while I don't care about what the people will think, I'm sure they would welcome you with open arms."

"They would welcome a twisted backstabber like me with open arms?"

"I'll have to correct you there - you aren't a backstabber, but a heroine who fought alongside me and the other Shepherds for the sake of peace," Chrom asserted with finality. "And I know that together we can bring joy back to the royal palace. So put your faith in me, and I'll do everything I can to make the castle into a happy home for us... my love."

Tharja closed her eyes and allowed herself to get lost in the moment, intent on etching this into her memory so that she wouldn't ever forget it in the months to come. In fact, she knew the perfect curse that could make her relive these moments in her dreams every night...

A thought suddenly occurred to her.

She lifted her head and looked straight into his eyes.

"You don't deny that I'm twisted...?"

* * *

_And so the war between Ylisse and Plegia was ended. Prince Chrom and Robin worked tirelessly to restore Ylisse's splendor. This would be no easy task, for the war had taken a heavy toll on the halidom. But with Feroxi muscle and Plegian gold, they brought peace back to the people. All the while, the prince forswore the title of exalt, out of respect to his late sister. Even so, his subjects grew eager for their new ruler to take a wife. And in his heart, Chrom had always known who that woman would be. The royal wedding was a joyous occasion, attended by thousands from near and far. Finally, it seemed that the last lingering wounds of Ylisse's history had healed. But then, two years later...**  
**_

* * *

"Chrom...?"

The moment Raimi had left the throne room, a voice that Chrom knew well called out softly to him, and he turned around to see Tharja slowly approach from wherever she had been waiting. Her luscious black hair, which had grown over the past two years was devoid of any of her usual ornaments, falling over her shoulders and down her back, tempting him to reach out and touch it. Her long silken robes shimmered and billowed with each step, trailing carelessly behind her. It was as if she were floating across the floor towards him. In her arms was a bundled up blanket.

Since getting married, Chrom had his wife's clothing made in the black and gold colors that she adored so much despite his council's strongly suggesting the usual blue and white, or light green, which was all for the sake of 'keeping up appearances' for the public. Tharja was indeed a Plegian woman, and Chrom felt there was no need to hide her ancestry from his subjects. So the royal simply had the seamstresses make it so that the Brand of the Exalt was prominently displayed on the back of Tharja's raiment in bright gold to appease those meddling elders, and to show to the world that she was his beloved wife, regardless of her background.

"Forgive me, my love. Very soon I'll have to go and hear the facts from Khan Flavia herself, personally. Ylisse owes Regan Ferox a huge debt... this is the least I can do for our neighbors after all they've done for us two years ago."

Tharja glared at him. "Don't worry, I have nothing to say about that... but if you think that I'd just let you meet with another woman in another country, _all by yourself_, then you have another think coming."

"Huh? But, Tharja... Lucina is newly born! She needs her mother near her!" Chrom looked down at their baby daughter, who had been dozing off until he spoke. Almost as if in response to his smile, the baby smiled back, cooing.

"You and your siblings were raised by a wet-nurse, right? It's a long standing tradition of the House of Ylisse that I don't object to. Lucina is a tough kid, she takes after you more than me. I know she'll be alright. The Brand in her left eye is proof of that."

"B-but..."

"Hmph. I can clearly see where I'm not wanted." Tharja muttered darkly. "You're tired of my presence, aren't you? You'd rather spend time with that amazon in Ferox than spend time with me."

It was plainly obvious for Frederick, Robin, and Lissa to see that Tharja was just baiting Chrom. And yet, no matter how many times he'd fallen for the same old trick, the noble never learned his lesson. While they felt sorry for the poor man, they also found it quite hilarious how whipped Chrom was.

"No! I still long to be with you, Tharja! I still feel for you as strongly as before!" Chrom pleaded his wife. "_Of course_ you can come with me. You will be closely-guarded the whole time. And I would never betray you!"

"Aw geez, it's times like these when I wonder who is _really_ in charge of Ylisse, y'know?" Lissa whispered to Robin.

"Tharja, just promise me that you'll retreat if it gets too dangerous. Even though Lissa and I had our sister, we lost our parents when we were very young... I don't want Lucina to grow up without her parents as I have." Chrom stepped forward, placing his hands on Tharja's shoulders and staring deep into her eyes.

Her face reddened, but she scowled up at him. "Just who do you think you are talking to? You should be worrying about the poor saps who would dare attack _me_..."

"Tharja..."

She sighed at his insistence. "Fine, I can see this really means a lot to you... so I promise."

* * *

**A/N: **Aaaaaand there we have it! This proposal scene purposely mirrors the Chrom/Sumia one in a few ways.


	6. Intermission

**A/N:** I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, but I do own a copy of the game!

Okay, someone PM'd me about Chrom, but I thought I'd just give my answer right here:

I used to despise Chrom for stealing Maribelle away. Nowadays, I'm okay with him as a character (not as a ruler) but I still feel a little bitter because right after he auto-married her, he kept talking about what great bros we were even though _he just stole the girl I wanted my self-insert to marry_. Of course, at that time I did not know that Chrom needed to have a child after Chapter 11, but even after reading about it online I still felt really bummed.

The PM inspired me to write finally put this chapter out, so thanks (you know who you are)!

* * *

**Intermission**

* * *

"Yesterday's Enemy is Somehow Still Today's Enemy"

* * *

Cordelia halted at the open door, her proper posture befitting her status as the recently appointed Captain of the Pegasus Knights, her lance and armor polished to such a high sheen it could be used to eat dinner with. Both men and women of the castle alike were both fond of her and intimidated by her; her drive, loyalty, experience and elegance on the battlefield could only matched by a certain few such as Frederick. Of course, the woman herself did not put much stock into those observations and continued to strive for that "perfection" she had deemed unobtainable yet still worked hard on reaching.

She steeled herself and gave the wooden door frame three sharp knocks.

"My lady! His Grace has requested your presence in the throne room for a matter of great importance. Please allow me to escort you there."

The Pegasus Knight Captain was not normally the carrier of such summons, but today she felt it was necessary for her to volunteer when Chrom couldn't get ahold of one of his usual runners, who were already out and about trying to fulfill other tasks given to them. She was always willing to serve him in any way she was able, but she also had another reason...

"...Hmmm, that wasn't all, was it?"

She winced at the dark, almost monotone voice that seemed to echo throughout the Queen's personal laboratory. Cordelia could stand the sight of the extremely shady-looking glass jars and mysterious objects that littered about fifty percent of the room, with scrolls and tomes covering about thirty percent and a HUGE black metal pot of... boiling... _something_... taking up the remaining twenty percent. But Cordelia still had trouble accepting Chrom's wife as her Queen, and she knew deep in her heart that she would never find true peace with Chrom's choice.

"Indeed, my lady, he told me to tell you... a certain phrase."

"Then say it."

Cordelia valiantly fought against her urge to grimace at the Queen's bluntness.

"...'Castle Ferox'."

It was as if the witch herself had been hexed. Tharja slowly stood up from her desk, in all her black and gold silken glory, and languidly approached the redheaded pegasus knight with an oddly neutral expression on her face.

"...I see. Lead the way."

"As you command."

Cordelia patiently waited for the Queen to finish locking up her laboratory before turning around and walking back the way she came, this time with the royal in tow.

The pegasus knight could feel the other woman's gaze boring into her back, but shrugged off the unsettling feelings with bravado. Cordelia was resolved to understand Tharja's motives behind her marriage to Chrom before it was too late.

It was common knowledge among the Shepherds back in the day that the dark mage had had an unhealthy obsession with the tactician, Robin. Which was why everyone (save for a certain few) was so utterly gobsmacked when Chrom left for Plegia after the Ylissean citizens had finally found stability, only to return to the capital with Tharja in his arms as his willing bride. Their romance was the most controversial and sensational thing ever to happen in the halidom in years, with the bards and the poets alike still furiously writing about it. That Chrom had been placed under the spell of an evil witch, or that they were like star-crossed lovers, or something equally cheesy and unoriginal.

Cordelia had been one of those few who had felt so shocked. She would have been fine with her best friend Sumia, Chrom's childhood friend Sully, or even any of those noblewomen who hung around the castle, like Maribelle, to be the Queen.

And yet Chrom chose Tharja while being fully aware of her obsession with his army tactician, right hand-man and best friend.

The redhead grit her teeth.

_Just you try hurting him. Just try it and see. Give me the slightest provocation, and I'll do everything within my power to make you regret you ever played him for a fool! I'll be watching you!_

* * *

Tharja quietly trailed after the pegasus knight, giving the slightly taller woman an icy glare. She wasn't stupid. She was very much aware that the redhead harbored feelings for her husband. It sickened the mage, how she could give Chrom those love sick stares when she thought Tharja couldn't see - and it would please the witch to no end if she were allowed to annihilate that hussy. Of course, the only reason why she hadn't done a thing to this very day was because of Chrom and Robin.

Chrom was still the leader of the Shepherds and thus, all of the members were like his family. He wanted his comrades to live out their lives, achieve their goals and start families of their own. Although he was still oblivious to Cordelia's amorous intentions he did not want to see her harmed; Tharja knew this was partly because of how terribly Emmeryn's death two years ago affected him, but it still frustrated her.

Then there was Robin. Tharja still liked him very much, and while two years ago she had already made peace with the fact that the tactician had eyes for someone else, even before they'd first met, the mage couldn't stand how the woman he loved was Cordelia. But he'd pleaded her not to do anything alongside Chrom...

Robin adored Cordelia, and was willing to put his life on the line for her. And how does the pegasus knight respond? By taking offense at how he'd accidentally called her a genius. Yes, she heard the story of Cordelia's time as a new recruit a hundred times from the amnesiac but it still made Tharja mad, how selfish Cordelia could be for taking advantage of Robin's sympathy and attention like that and then refusing to see him for such a silly reason. Last night, the poor man had even come to the mage and Chrom for advice in how to make things right again, and she never wanted to see him look so dejected ever again.

Tharja glared even harder at Cordelia's back. She wasn't worried about Cordelia stealing Chrom away, but Robin on the other hand...

_Just you try hurting him. Just try it and see. Give me the slightest provocation, and I'll do everything within my power to make you regret you ever played him for a fool! I'll be watching you!_

* * *

**Next:** Lucina reveals herself.


End file.
